Even though Xing Muzheng had heard this once before, hearing it again still made his blood boil. He couldn’t even remember this scum’s face—yet this vermin dared hatch such wicked thoughts.
Qian Jiaoniang took a deep breath. She had originally thought Li Xiangui’s attempt had been a spur-of-the-moment desire while stealing. She hadn’t expected there to be all this behind it.
“I asked him if he wasn’t afraid the Xing family would report it to the authorities, and Li Xiangui said his older sister was the county magistrate’s favored concubine, currently pregnant with his child. That the magistrate would do anything she said, and that he, Li Tianwang, had nothing to fear! I thought he was just bragging and didn’t take it seriously. But after two days of not seeing him, I figured he’d gone to the brothel. Who knew… he was dead!”
“Are you speaking the full truth?” Magistrate Zhang pointed at him.
“This lowly one wouldn’t dare lie to the Lord! If there’s a single false word, may I be struck by lightning! Besides, all the stuff Li Xiangui did, most of the townsfolk in Gui County knew! Ever since his sister became the magistrate’s concubine, he got even more arrogant. He forcibly took the tofu seller’s daughter as a concubine. The tofu seller reported it to the authorities—and the next day, he was found dead in the sewage ditch. This affair, I reckon, the General’s wife must’ve known—so she fled in fear. To speak plainly, if she hadn’t fled, she might’ve ended up like that tofu seller!”
Even now, Niu Daqiang didn’t realize the man and woman seated at the head of the room were the very general and general’s wife he spoke of.
Xing Muzheng said, “Take him away.”
Wang Yong escorted Niu Daqiang out again. Magistrate Zhang clapped his hands in realization. “So that’s what it was! I’ve only just arrived here and didn’t know there were such grievous injustices in Gui County!”
Xing Muzheng signaled Ah Da with a look. Ah Da took out a register and handed it to Magistrate Zhang and Chen Zhuo. When Chen Zhuo opened it, he found it was the official case record from the tenth year of Chengping, detailing County Magistrate Zhou Suhong of Gui County. It turned out that Zhou had been promoted to Prefect of Xinping Prefecture, where he accepted bribes, perverted justice, and even took gold from enemy spies, ultimately opening the gates of Xinping to the invaders without a fight. He had later been discovered by General Sun Bai under Xing Muzheng’s command and was executed in Xinping’s public market.
“This traitorous official who sold out the nation—how many false and unjust cases must he have ruled on? Yet you didn’t investigate them, and instead used one of his rulings to interrogate my wife? Who gave you the nerve? Do you think I, Xing Muzheng, am so easily bullied?” Xing Muzheng stood with a shout, flinging Qian Jiaoniang’s case file harshly to the ground.
Magistrate Zhang dropped to his knees. “Please, Marquis, calm your anger!” Aiya, it’s all that blockhead Constable Chen’s fault!
Chen Zhuo also knelt.
Qian Jiaoniang looked up at Xing Muzheng, but could only see his broad back.
“Li Xiangui attempted to violate my wife. She resisted with all her might. The child cried out, and my mother was awakened. Seeing my wife fighting off the intruder, she picked up a knife and stabbed Li Xiangui in the abdomen. He bled to death. But my mother, wife, and child, frightened by the rampant corruption of the authorities, didn’t dare report it and fled in panic. While I fought on the battlefield, my family suffered untold hardships—and all because of me. If you still wish to pursue this case, then I will bear all responsibility!” Xing Muzheng’s words rang like thunder, firm and unwavering.
Qian Jiaoniang stared at Xing Muzheng’s broad back. Her face was blank, but inside, waves of emotion surged violently.
How many times, in moments of hardship and helplessness, had she fantasized that someone would descend from the heavens and rescue her from her misery? But time and again, she had only ever had herself—clenching her teeth and swallowing her own blood in silence. She had gotten used to it and had long stopped hoping.
This was the first time—someone stood in front of her, spoke for her, shielded her, and protected her.
Why was it Xing Muzheng? Why did it have to be Xing Muzheng?
Qian Jiaoniang’s eyes burned hot. She turned her head to swallow it down, but the taste in her throat was bitter, spicy—every flavor mixed together.
“Please don’t be angry, Marquis, please,” Magistrate Zhang hastily said. “Constable Chen only came to inquire, hoping to clear the Madam’s name. The Madam and the old lady acted in self-defense, killing a criminal who broke into their home—how is that a crime? Now that we have both witness and evidence, it seems the Madam has suffered years of false accusation. Now that the truth is clear, this official will immediately go and overturn the case, to restore the Madam’s innocence!” As he spoke, Magistrate Zhang scrambled up to pick up Qian Jiaoniang’s case file from the floor. “It’s just a shame that Li Xiangui is already dead—otherwise, I’d make him suffer dearly!”
Xing Muzheng still hadn’t fully calmed. He placed his hands behind his back and glanced coldly at Chen Zhuo. “Constable Chen, do you still intend to arrest my wife?”
Chen Zhuo cupped his hands. “Now that the truth is clear, this official naturally obeys your lordship’s orders, and will restore the Madam’s name.”
Qian Jiaoniang supported herself on the chair and stood up. “Lord Zhang, Constable Chen… just now the Marquis remembered it wrong. That stab to Li Xiangui’s back—it was I who did it. Mother-in-law came to help me, but Li Xiangui knocked her down. He picked up a chair to smash her, and in my panic, I grabbed the knife he brought and stabbed him from behind.”
“The weapon was Li Xiangui’s?” someone asked.
Qian Jiaoniang replied, “Yes. He was using the knife to threaten me… forcing me to… In any case, what the Marquis said afterward is how it happened.”
For the first time, Xing Muzheng heard part of the truth from Qian Jiaoniang’s own mouth. He had already guessed most of it, but hearing it from her lips still pained him.
Xing Muzheng said, “Enough. This matter will not be mentioned again. Magistrate Zhang, Constable Chen—when you return, not only must you close my wife’s case, but you must also carefully re-examine all cases judged by Zhou Suhong. See if anyone else was wrongly convicted. Some may still be rotting in prison. If any died unjustly, their families deserve compensation.”
“Yes, yes—this official will reopen the cases right away.” Magistrate Zhang nodded and bowed repeatedly. He shot a look at Chen Zhuo, signaling him to leave with him. But to his surprise, Chen Zhuo ignored it and turned instead to Xing Muzheng.
“Marquis, I noticed the inner courtyard here is rather small. I wonder where the bodies of your honored uncle and his wife are being kept. If it’s inconvenient, the Gui County yamen has space behind the courthouse—if you’d like to use it, Lord Zhang, don’t you agree?”
“Yes, yes! If the Marquis wishes to use it, this official will gladly comply without hesitation!” Magistrate Zhang was overjoyed—he hadn’t expected Constable Chen to finally catch on.
But Xing Muzheng declined indifferently. “No need. My cousin and cousin-in-law only wished to bury their parents as soon as possible. Yesterday, they had the bodies cremated. They left Gui County early this morning to return home.”
“Cremated?” For the first time that day, Chen Zhuo showed a look of true surprise. Cremation was rare in the Xie Dynasty, where burial in the ground was considered proper. A noble house like the Xing family—how could they cremate their kin? Unless there was some reason they had to…
“Yes. Cremated,” Xing Muzheng replied patiently, repeating himself word for word.
Chen Zhuo looked at him in stunned silence. In that flash of a moment, he realized: he had made a fatal mistake—he had underestimated his opponent.
From the beginning, Chen Zhuo hadn’t intended to make much of the old case. He’d read the file—too little evidence, too many gaps, and too much time had passed. It wasn’t solid. He only wanted to use it as a pretext to separate the Marquis from his wife, and in the meantime interrogate the Madam about yesterday’s sudden death incident. But what he hadn’t expected was that Marquis Xing would act with such ruthless efficiency—cremating the corpses the very same day, gathering all evidence and witness testimony in just one day—always staying one step ahead. He had truly underestimated him. That young-looking face had fooled him—he had forgotten this man was a general who had never lost a battle.
And there was another reason for Chen Zhuo’s miscalculation: based on what he saw yesterday, he privately believed that the Marquis and his wife had a strained relationship—more form than substance. Otherwise, if it had truly been the Madam who killed someone, why would she do it in the Xing family home? Why would she personally do it? And why kill a blood relative of the Marquis?
These three points added together made it impossible for him to believe the couple were close. He figured the Marquis was only covering up for the sake of family reputation. After all, no noble family wants their dirty laundry aired in public.
But now, he saw clearly—this man treated his wife like a precious treasure.
What kind of bond did these two share? And what of the relative’s sudden death? Was it truly the work of the Madam? The body was now ashes—there would never be an answer.
Chen Zhuo, rarely defeated, looked back and forth between Xing Muzheng and Qian Jiaoniang. Finally, he cupped his hands and withdrew with Magistrate Zhang.
Qian Jiaoniang slowly sank back into her chair.
It felt like a massive stone buried in her heart for years had suddenly crashed to the ground. She let out a long breath and nearly collapsed into the seat. This feeling—it was so good. Unlike the giddy joy of seeing Xing Muzheng awake earlier, this was a quiet, full-bodied warmth that filled her from head to toe, like a sweet spring bursting into every corner of her soul. The past was over. The injustice had been righted. Her heart brimmed with relief, and her eyes brimmed with tears. After a while, her mind went completely blank—she couldn’t even remember what she’d been thinking. She didn’t even know where she was sitting.
Qian Jiaoniang stood up and walked out.
Xing Muzheng reached out and caught her. She lowered her head and shook him off, but he wouldn’t let go. He turned her around by force. Qian Jiaoniang’s head hung lower and lower, and Xing Muzheng could only see the crown of her dark hair. He bent down, tilting his head, and saw her tear-streaked face.
Xing Muzheng’s heart twisted like never before. Overwhelmed, he pulled her into his arms. Qian Jiaoniang pushed him away, but he didn’t move an inch. He pressed her head gently to his chest. She resisted, using her forehead to push against him. But this man’s embrace was so solid and warm—today, Qian Jiaoniang had no strength left to resist.
Just this once, she told herself. Just this one time—I’ll let myself go.
At last, she leaned into his chest and wept in silence.
Xing Muzheng’s heart completely melted. After a long moment, he said in a husky voice, “From now on, I’ll never let you suffer again.”
